The Blue Spirit Strikes Again
by GoldDragonZ
Summary: Years have past. Jin is dead. THe Blue Spirit has given up his throne in the Fire Nation and has opted for a peaceful life, but nothing is as it seems. Sequel Oneshot to The Blue Spirit Returns. Rated M for mature.


_**The Blue Spirit Strikes Again**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avatar: the Last Air Bender. All of the characters and ideas given thus far are a product of Nickelodeon. This is just a fan-fiction depicting something that probably won't happen in the show. Please don't steal my ideas! After saying that, I must apologize if I have taken anything from any other story, movie, comic, or whatever else applies. I give credit to the makers of the Avatar show, because I will be using much of their ideas. This is the sequel to my other Fan Fiction, the Blue Spirit Returns. Please read that before reading this.

The following story takes place after the second season finale, "Crossroads of Destiny".

_The following takes place 30 years after the death of Fire Lord Ozai. Zuko, The Blue Spirit is now nearing 50 years old._

War was over. There should have been peace for the rest of time. For a few years, the fighting ceased, but people hungered for more battle. Edgy ex-soldiers would go on killing rampages. This led Toph Be Fong, Queen of Ba Sing Se to issue a decree and reinstate the Dai Li. However, just as they had before, the Dai Li agents only took after the rich. In the lower rings of Ba Sing Se, crime increased.

Jin could not stand the crime. Just like her father, Jin had one last adventure. Zuko had been at home, taking care of his grand-children. He and Jin had children early in life, so their kids were grown up already and were married off. They all had respectful jobs in other places around the Jasmine Dragon and their original home. Jin had become The Iron Princess one last time, and in a tremendous battle with a huge gang, Jin suffered a massive heart attack, and died.

The next day, her body was found mangled. Some foul men had their way with her dead body. Her bones were broken, and the gang had cut up her body pretty bad. Zuko had smiled, and said to his grand-children that their grandmother was merely sleeping after her body was cleaned up. The beast in Zuko's gut wriggled and writhed. It had been dormant for years, but Zuko's determination returned to him with the loss of his loved one. The Avatar himself had come to pay his respects to Zuko's wife. The kids loved the jolly old monk. Zuko still held resentment for his wife's death, and said little to Aang.

Jin and Zuko only had two children, Li and Cio Dee. They also married young, and had children. Zuko went home alone after the funeral, not wanting to spend one more minute with people that reminded him so much of his beloved. Looking through an old storeroom, he found something he had not seen in years. The armour he had worn as The Blue Spirit had been kept through the years. The blue letters on the chest were barely visible through the burn mark that had been left by Ozai. The Dao blades had begun to rust, since Zuko had put them out of sight so his children and grandchildren would not get hurt.

The armour felt snug as he put it on. However, his mask remained in the bottom of Lake Laogai. Zuko transported to the lake in order to retrieve his mask, as he had before, but to his disappointment, it had been smashed, and he could only collect a few fragments. They had been burnt, and time had eroded it. Zuko threw the pieces back into the lake. He transported through the Spirit World back to his home, and took off his armour, putting it back in its storeroom.

Months passed. Nothing was ever the same. His grandchildren seemed to distance themselves from him. His children were always busy. They both had decided to get babysitters for their children, instead of letting Zuko take care of them.

On the anniversary of his uncle's death, Zuko made his way through the streets of Ba Sing Se to the aging tree.

"Uncle." He whispered when he was finished setting up the sacred ritual to honour the dead. "I feel as lost as ever. The war is over, but death never ends. I feel so lonely without you. I miss you. I miss mother. sigh I miss Jin."

Zuko knelt at the grave, lowering his head, covering his eyes with his left hand as his left rested on Iroh's picture that Zuko brought up. Screams and alarms rang out through Ba Sing Se. Meanwhile, clouds started rolling in. Zuko uncovered his eyes.

"I am Vengeance." He said to himself, only as motivation. "I do this for you, Mother. I do this for you, Jin!"

Zuko got up and ran through the streets, back to his home.

**

* * *

**

Rain poured down Ba Sing Se. Toph sighed as she looked out the window. Her children were now in school, and she had finished her duties for the day. Aang was off with Appa and Momo, visiting Katara in the North Pole. She longed for a day outside. She wished she could fight again, but her duties made her chained to the throne.

**

* * *

**

A thief ran from a woman, who was screaming at him to bring back her money. He had stolen her purse. Suddenly, a black boomerang smashed against his foot and tripped him. Lightning sparked as thunder cracked. The thief pointed his knife at a figure clad in black, wearing a black cloak, but it was to no avail.

The woman was just as afraid as she was given back her purse.

**

* * *

**

Two Dai Li were pinned down. Seven fire benders were breaking down their rock barriers with each attack. Steam billowed all around them from the rain water. They tried desperately to get away, but the fire benders heated up the rocks around them. The Dai Li were cold from the rain, so the earth was hot to touch. As they closed in on the Dai Li, there was a flapping, like wings. Three small explosions erupted at the fire benders' feet. Smoke erupted all around them, filling their lungs. The Dai Li were pulled out of the cloud and were carried on someone's back to a safer location

When they arrived to the spot the next morning with reinforcements, they found all seven fire benders tied up. All of them had cuts and lacerations. The worst of their wounds were burns. Three of them remained conscious.

**

* * *

**

An old man with a cane threatened three young girls to stay back. He tried defending his grandson. The three girls earth bent and used hammers, smashing his cane to smithereens. He fell on the floor, and the little boy grabbed onto his shoulder.

"Grandpa!" the boy cried in a shrill voice.

The three teens stepped forward to the duo as rain kept coming down. The old man and the boy had their backs to a low lying house. The middle girl smiled and raised her hammer. Suddenly, there was a loud smacking noise, and her wrist flung back, and the hammer flew from her hand. The three girls jumped back, as the middle one yelped. As she looked up, The Blue Spirit landed on top of her, driving her head into the ground.

The two other girls' jaw dropped as he rose. He repainted the blue writing that said 'The Blue Spirit' on his chest. He wore a black helmet similar to his royal helmet that he wore the first time he met the Avatar. He wore his mother's tattered cloak. His hair flowed down to his shoulders and was in braided clumps because of the rain. To top it all off, his face was painted blue, but it didn't come off in the rain, somehow. He snarled, blowing steam out of his nostrils.

The closest girl raised her hammers and charged, but before she reached him, The Blue Spirit unsheathed his old Dao, and set them on fire. The rust flew off in sparks as the blades cut off the heads of the hammers. As the girl looked to the smouldering handles in her hands, The Blue Spirit's fist collided with her jaw, sending her flying through the air, landing two feet away.

The other girl smashed the ground with her right hammer, but The Blue Spirit pivoted on his left foot, and stomped the ground with his right, sending a huge wall of fire into the oncoming earth attack. Molten rocks flew in all directions. With a few fire bending kicks, The Blue Spirit defended the old man and the child. The girl dropped her hammers and started running away. The Blue Spirit picked up a rock, and hurled it into her back. There was a loud yell, and she dropped to the floor. The Blue Spirit grabbed her and picked her up.

"What do you know about the gang that murdered the Iron Princess?" He asked forcefully.

**

* * *

**

Similar occurrences happened all through the night. The next morning, the army had to intervene with the criminal uproar. Messengers flooded the throne room as Toph dealt with the messages. She ordered advisors to come and help her with the work. The messengers were ushered out of the throne room. Toph rubbed her temples.

"Couldn't they give a blind girl a break?" She asked herself.

"Not if she's the queen." A voice said from the window.

Toph's ears perked up.

"Aang!" She said as she bounded off the throne and into his arms.

They kissed briefly.

"I heard bad things were happening here." Aang said, as if he was 12-years-old again. "What's happening?"

"I think you should pay your friend The Blue Spirit a visit." Toph said worriedly. "He's starting to take justice into his own hands, after Jin died."

"I thought Zuko stopped being The Blue Spirit a long time ago!"

"Well, he's back."

**

* * *

**

"DAI LI, ATTACK!!" The Blue Spirit led a full platoon of Dai Li agents into the gang's hideout. It had taken days to track down his wife's killer. "Arrest them all! Don't let them escape!"

The Dai Li had no choice but to listen to him. It was that or they had to bring him down. The Blue Spirit broke the doors down with a might flame. Earth rose up from the building, but he smashed through it. He ran into the building and slashed, blocked, fire bent, or kicked anyone that stood to face him. He was stronger than ever. He had kept training his body, mind and soul after the war was over. 'Just in case' he had said to Jin. Now, his improvements showed all too much. The Dai Li didn't even have a chance at fighting anyone. The Blue Spirit made one clean sweep of the house, bringing down everyone. The Dai Li looked for anyone that escaped, and captured the fallen.

The Blue Spirit gritted his teeth and bared them as he surveyed the scene. Suddenly, there was a gust of wind. The Blue Spirit whipped around, swords drawn. The Avatar twirled his glider around, and closed its wings.

"Hey, Zuko!" he said to The Blue Spirit, and waved. "It's been a long time since I ever saw you this…happy?"

"What do you want, Avatar?" The Blue Spirit snarled.

Aang was taken back by this. It was as if The Blue Spirit had reverted back to his old, evil self. Aang was seeing his enemy before him, and not his friend.

"What have you done?" He asked, suspiciously. "Why have you returned?"

"I was always in Ba Sing Se." The Blue Spirit said. "You were just never around to see me. I tracked down the gang that killed Jin! They were one of the deadliest gangs of Ba Sing Se, and they needed to be fought against. There is still a war going on. I will continue to fight in this war, until my very last breath."

"What about your family?" The Avatar asked.

The Blue Spirit's vengeful attitude faded as he thought about his children. He thought about how they were now living in a time that was supposed to be simple. He thought about his mother. He heard an echo in his mind:

_No matter how things may change, never forget who you are…_

His form seemed to shrink. He looked older, and sadder. He was a grandfather. If he died now, it would hurt his family although they were distant. He took off his helmet, and let his hair fall over his face. Iroh always wanted to live peacefully, leaving the fighting to the young people. This was not The Blue Spirit's time anymore. He had first been a thief, and then a war hero. He could not be a crime fighter, for he would use the tactics of a general. The Blue Spirit took a cloth from his belt and wiped the blue paint from his face. He looked at The Avatar.

Silently, The Avatar stared back at him.

**

* * *

**

Young men and women lined up outside Ba Sing Se. Zuko stood in front of them, along with The Avatar. He looked to the sky, and felt the sun's warm rays pass through him, giving him energy. The wind blew softly. Zuko closed his eyes, and thought he smelt his lover's sent. He opened them.

A new era had come. The Blue Spirit would pass on all of his knowledge to these people in order to fight crime. They were Dai Li, and army officers who were in charge of policing Ba Sing Se and the outer districts of the Earth Kingdom. Even a few officers from the Fire Nation, and Water Tribes joined in. Like a small army, they gathered and listened to The Blue Spirit. He may die and part of him may be forgotten, but no one would ever forget the hero that was The Blue Spirit.

Through his children and pupils, the Blue Spirit would return and remain on the World of Element Bending. He would be a Royal Advisor to the Earth Queen and Avatar; he would remain an important figure in the Fire Nation as well.

_**Rebirth**_

Zuko sat on a huge stone, watching children playing earth bending games. His hair had been cut really short, and was now grey all over. He was now a sixty-five-year-old veteran. He rested his chin on his folded hands, on top of a dark, wooden cane. He wore simple clothes that may have once belonged to a poor person. By no means was Zuko poor, anymore. He had wealth from the Jasmine Dragon, and other awards given to him over the years for his efforts during the war. His grandchildren often came to check up on him, while their parents worked. Sometimes they would visit, but not as much.

The rings of Ba Sing Se had been abolished, making it so that the rich and poor mingled, living together. Zuko's students had long turned into new masters, so they kept the royal city on its toes. Zuko could not be prouder. He knew his life would come to an end soon. He had not gone to the Spirit World in at least ten years. He had not seen the Avatar or anyone from the war in seven years.

The children laughed as they played. Zuko continued to look at their innocence, and a smile crept onto his face. There were a few, white clouds in the blue sky, while the sun shone brilliantly. Zuko stood up, still smiling. It was time to go home indeed. He left the field that the children were playing in and walked through the busy streets. He walked with the cane for balance.

Before Zuko reached the front door of his home, he saw a person in the doorway. The person wore a straw hat, and peasant clothes that were well worn and dirty from _battle_. Zuko raised an eyebrow. He knew that some people had disputes, but this man looked like he had been fighting for many years. The man had black, short hair, with a stripe of grey going all around his head. He had green eyes, and a goatee. The man's face was heavily wrinkled. The most distinguishing feature about the man was two swords hanging in sheathes on his left side. One was longer than the other, and the man had his left hand on the longer sword. The man glared at Zuko as he stood in front of him.

"Can I help you?" Zuko asked.

"I've been hired to kill you." The man stated with no emotion. "I am also here to kill your whole family."

"Who sent you?" Zuko's anger flared.

"A cell could not hold her forever." The _Assassin_ said.

"Azula's _alive_?" Zuko's apprehension was evident on his face.

The man unsheathed his long sword, holding it in both hands. Zuko hunched over, not in a defensive or offensive stance. He seemed to lean on his cane.

"Oh, it's awfully hot today." Zuko whined, as sweat appeared on his brow. "My joints are aching, and I just don't feel like doing this today."

"WHAT?" The Assassin yelled. "Stupid old man, I bring death!"

"Could you also bring some tea, ooh, and some fruit tarts, too?" Zuko smiled.

"You dare mock me, one of the last _air benders_?"

Zuko's face tightened and turned serious. The creature in his gut awoke once more.

"None of you are aware." The Assassin Air Bender said. "When air benders broke the rules, or came up short, they were banished from the air temples. I am the product of years of training and tradition from a group of banished nomads who sought to build an army to defend their homes. We had been in hiding for more than one hundred years, and the Fire Nation did find us. They almost killed us all. I escaped with a few members, and we formed a special team of assassins. Your sister found us again, and joined us."

"Well, that's nice to know." Zuko said, irritated. "Come back when you're ready to fight. I didn't ask for your life story, moron."

"I face you now!" The Assassin lunged, but from his position, the blade would not reach Zuko.

Zuko was puzzled until a gust of air slashed through his cane, and cut into him. Wit some quickness, Zuko had pulled away just in time so that the blow would not kill him. Zuko looked up, but the Assassin was gone. And then, Zuko felt shade. Zuko rolled and leapt to his feet as the Assassin stabbed the area that Zuko had once been. Zuko used and air bending technique and created a huge ball of fire. He was unable to use it, because the Assassin's blow into the ground sent up a wave of air that dispersed the flames everywhere. Homes all around the duo burned.

"How can you fight a defenceless old man?" Zuko quipped, punching a few fire balls towards the Assassin, who sliced once, extinguishing all of the attacks.

"It is my job." The Assassin replied, bringing up the sword, making a small gust of air, which Zuko blocked with a flame of equal force.

The two exchanged moves, but Zuko was running out of breath, plus the Assassin was well trained with using his sword. The Assassin would cut him up if Zuko did not think fast. Zuko somersaulted away from the Assassin, and used all four types of bending to summon up flaming armour that would only last a short while. The Assassin tried using air bending to break the barrier down, but Zuko stood fast. In one final thrust, the Assassin sunk his sword into the flames, but Zuko caught it. The air finally dispersed the flames, but Zuko's hands were still hot enough that he literally bent the metal. This rendered the weapon useless.

The Assassin jumped into the air and took out his smaller blade, stabbing Zuko in the back. Zuko grunted as he felt something explode in his chest. Pain tore through his body. The Assassin would have smiled if he did not feel something enter _his_ chest. A charred piece of Zuko's cane punctured the Assassin's heart, killing him instantly. Zuko fell to the ground, with the blade still stuck in his back. He smiled one last time, with blood dripping from his lips. And then, everything went black.

**

* * *

**

The first thing Zuko felt was a cool sensation in his back. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on his stomach in the royal infirmary of Ba Sing Se's palace. Zuko tried to turn over.

"Hey!" said a man's voice. "Stay still! The Oasis water I had can only heal so fast."

"Avatar?" Zuko grumbled. "How'd you find me?"

"The world is linked together." Aang replied. "I felt your pain through the Spirit World."

"You are queer."

"Oh, thanks. And I thought I would heal you out of friendship."

"I'm kidding. There are more important issues at hand. Are you done yet?"

"Hold on."

They exchanged random drabble like this for some time, sometimes insulting each other, but deep down, both respected each other. The Avatar was master of all four elements, so he could heal with water, create crystals from earth, fly with air, and bring lightning down from the heavens.

"Okay," Aang replied, standing up. "I'm finished. Now what's so important?"

"There are more air benders," Zuko replied, pulling on a shirt. "You aren't the only one."

**

* * *

**

The messages were sent extremely fast and effectively. All four nations were now on the look out for these air benders who still had some knowledge about air bending that could be taught to younger generations. It took five full years, but they found them. In the continuing onslaught, the Avatar perished while fighting Azula, who was as quick as ever. Zuko had been deemed too old to fight, so he had no other choice but to let the other warriors fight and negotiate with these rogue air benders. Finally, they were brought back to all of the temples, and training of new air benders began.

Zuko knew his sister well. He led the hunt, and young Kyoshi warriors and warriors from the Water Tribes took part in the ambush. Azula was found, but killed herself by setting off a series of bombs. She would not allow her enemies the pleasure of finishing her off. They lost many lives that day.

**

* * *

**

The funeral for the Avatar was very sweet and touching. The air nomad would have been proud of the celebration of his life that all of his friends took part in. A statue of Aang and Momo had been made, and put in one of the halls that paid homage to all Avatars. He would be remembered for all time as the Avatar who stopped the hundred year war.

**

* * *

**

**Ten to fifteen years later…**

Katara's skin sagged. She often nagged her students to do things the right way, or get out. Her star pupil, however, did not waver from her teacher's nagging. In fact, she guessed every one of Katara's new moves correctly, as if she knew Katara's style. Zuko looked on at the training, sipping tea. He had two aids by his side, as well as his son, Li. They were there with wise-men from all four nations. The new Avatar had been found. Zuko wanted to talk to Katara first, before it would be announced.

Katara and Zuko walked onto an ice balcony, which hung over the huge ice city. Haru came in behind Katara, and Li followed his father.

"Do you miss him?" Zuko asked dryly.

"He was my best friend." Katara looked at Haru as he made a sad face. "Okay, he is one of my best friends. Of course I miss him. What do you feel?"

"I feel like it's too cold out here." Zuko said with a little anger.

"Why are we having this conversation?" Katara laughed.

"Because," Zuko said, facing Katara. "He's back."

"What?"

"Your star pupil is the new Avatar."

Katara's eyes brightened. She had knows that her pupil was gifted, but she never guessed that it was one of Aang's incarnations. Katara frowned. (Author's note: Avatar is reincarnated female)

"You mean to tell me," Katara fumed. "That after all of those battles, training and hardships, I have to train the Avatar, _again_?"

"Quiet fool," Zuko said irritated. "You're ruining the moment."

"I'm kidding, Zuko." Katara laughed heartily. "We can take our time now and bring her up properly this time. We have to let everyone know!"

"No." Zuko said sternly. "She'll make her own friends. You can let the others know, but don't expect everyone to get along like they used to."

"I guess you're right." Katara said thoughtfully as she leaned back into Haru's arms. Zuko leaned on his cane and shivered as the sun began to set.

**

* * *

**

Katara's star pupil seemed overwhelmed at the ceremony. She was in tears, and was jumping up and down with one of her best friends. Katara never looked prouder.

Zuko left the ceremony early. In fact, he appeared at the South Pole, in an abandoned place that used to be home to the Southern Water Tribe. This tribe had relocated because there was an explosion in population. This was the first place he met the Avatar. This was where the rest of his life was decided.

Zuko, like the Guru, vanished from the face of the earth, content with who he had become.

_Fin_

_**Endnotes**_

_I don't think this story came out how it was supposed to come out, but bare with me. __The Blue Spirit: Returns and Strikes Again__ was based on Batman, Lord of the Rings, Dragonball/Z, Samurai Champloo, and many other televisions show, not necessarily cartoons. I am sorry if I stole your ideas, they were good, but they are yours alone. Thanks for reading this story, if you have any questions, feel free to send me a message, or review. I'll be starting a new story soon._


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